ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the historical foundations and modern perspectives of learning; the uniqueness of adult learning; the study of andragogy; and how understanding adult learning theory can be applied in the context of academic advising. Psychological-based learning theories began to emerge in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In sociocultural theory, thoughts, feelings, and knowledge are shaped by social interaction and inextricably embedded in current cultural, historical, and institutional contexts. The driver of sociocultural theory, Lev Vygotsky, believed that social interaction led to internalization and was the primary driver of learning and intellectual development. Advising trainers using sociocultural theory recognize there is no one-size-fits-all approach to training; each new advisor has individual needs, unique perspectives, and different ability levels. Providing advisors with the opportunity for error and to learn from their mistakes is called error management training.
